Guido Crosetto

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has announced that he will pay a visit to Türkiye next week to discuss recent developments in the Middle East, describing the country as "a significant actor in the region."

Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto (L) welcomes US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin prior to the Group of Seven (G7) Defence Ministers Summit at the Palazzo Reale in Naples, Italy, on Oct. 19, 2024.

G7 defense ministers started talks on Saturday against a backdrop of escalation in the Middle East and mounting pressure on Ukraine as it faces another winter of fighting.

Defense Minister Nikos Dendias joined regional counterparts in Venice for the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (ADRION) summit.

In a notable development amid the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles revealed that Kyiv has received new missiles for the Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems from Madrid and other Western allies.

Italy will provide the admiral in command of a European Union Red Sea naval mission to protect ships from attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Friday.

A Turkish cargo vessel that Italian special forces boarded after the crew detected a group of unidentified people on board is now sitting off the southern city of Naples, website MarineTraffic showed, while police continue to investigate the situation.

"Everything ended well," Italian minister Guido Crosetto wrote on Twitter.

In his view, Italy needs to strengthen its political, diplomatic and military presence in the region. He believes Italy has many competitors among both its allies and potential adversaries that are ready to exploit the opportunities offered by the context if they get a chance.